Özil inspired Arsenal overrun Leicester

Arsenal 3:1 Leicester City

After a great first half showing City were well beaten by Arsenal at The Emirates on Tuesday night…

Claude Puel, two days away from completing a year in charge of City, made one change to his side, with Evans in for the suspended Morgan. He also switched to a 3-5-2, Vardy and Iheanacho operating down the channels.
His side started the game on top and carried that on until just before the break.
In the 2nd minute Iheanacho sent a shot over the bar, when a square ball to Vardy might have been a better option. Four minutes later City threatened again, but Leno managed to palm away Iheanacho’s curling effort. Then a clever ball forward from Iheanacho almost sent Vardy in but Leno came racing off his line to clear.
In the 15th minute Xhaka fouled Maddison 25 yards out, but his free-kick sailed over the bar. Another foul, as Arsenal struggled to contain City, saw Holding go into the book for holding Iheanacho back.
Two minutes later Holding was very fortunate not to get a red card when he clearly handled the ball in the area. Referee Chris Kavanagh waved play on and Puel fumed in his technical area.
Maddisson then launched a free-kick into the area and Maguire’s header was tipped away by Leno.
In a rare Arsenal attack Lacazette sent a well-struck effort narrowly over, but City soon hit back, with Vardy inches away from getting his head to a Ricardo cross.
City’s pressure paid off in the 31st minute when they took the lead their play had deserved. Ndidi sent Chilwell down the left and he cut into the area before what looked like a cross deflected off Bellerin and deceived Leno. Sadly for Chilwell it had to go down as an own goal.
Arsenal had a chance for an instant reply a minute later but Schmeichel tipped Xhaka’s free-kick over the bar at full stretch.
Xhaka sent another free-kick wide as Arsenal began to get a grip on the game towards the break. Iwobi almost got onto the end of a long ball forward, but Schmeichel raced off his line to gather.
Just when City looked to have weathered this late spell of pressure, the Gunners equalised in the 45th minute. Özil, who had done virtually nothing to this point, suddenly burst into life, feeding Bellerín down the right and continuing his run into the area, guiding the return pass in via the left hand post with a sublime touch.

If ever there was a game of two halves this was it, as City spent most of the second half chasing shadows. Five minutes in, a sloppy Mendy backpass set Lacazette up with a shot that Amartey did well to block. Mkhitaryan’s acrobatic connection with the rebound flew wide.
Despite the one way traffic towards Schmeichel’s goal City went close in the 58th minute, when a Maddison corner was headed against the bar by Ndidi, but five minutes later City went behind. Özil played Bellerin in on the right and his cross provided Aubameyang with a tap in. He had been on the field for two minutes, with Albrighton replacing Iheanacho at the same time.
City, unrecognisable from the first half, were being run ragged now and Ricardo and Albrighton both picked up yellow cards before Arsenal struck again in the 66th minute.
Özil played a clever dummy, Lacazette set him up with a pass, and the German set up Aubameyang, for a second tap in in three minutes.
Puel brought Ghezzal on for Ricardo, and then Okazaki for Maddison, but it was just rearranging the deckchairs by this stage, with the game gone.
Schmeichel managed to block Lacazette from point blank range to keep the score down, but Arsenal cruised to their tenth consecutive victory with second half possession stats of 81%.
The sorry evening seemed to be summed up when City played the last six minutes without Vardy, who had jogged off down the tunnel.

As good as Arsenal were, City had once again failed to play well for a whole game.
It is 45 years since City won at Arsenal, and on the second half showing it could be another 45 before they do so again.

Arsenal: Leno, Bellerín, Mustafi, Holding, Lichtsteiner (Aubameyang 61), Torreira, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan (Guendouzi 61), Özil (Ramsey 80). Iwobi, Lacazette.
Substitutes: Welbeck, Martínez, Medley, Smith-Rowe.
Leicester: Schmeichel: Amartey, Maguire, Evans, Ricardo (Ghezzal 69), Mendy, Ndidi, Chilwell, Maddison (Okazaki 75), Iheanacho (Albrighton 61), Vardy (withdrawn 87).
Substitutes: Söyüncü, Ward, Iborra, Fuchs.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Attendance: 59,886.

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Can’t Buy That Feeling – Inside Leicester City – The Best of The Fox Interviews

We have finally got round to compiling all our interviews into one book and it is available now from Conker Editions Ltd HERE
and Amazon HERE

Also available from the Leicester City Fanstore and Waterstones in Leicester.

The FOX has been interviewing Leicester City players, managers, famous fans and board members for almost three decades, building up a body of work that takes you right into the very fabric of the club, with memories spanning the last 60 years.

As a City fan, you’ve come to know hundreds of players through their performance on the pitch, through potted career biographies and football sticker images. But what about the real characters behind the blue shirt and the back-page reports?

Can’t Buy That Feeling takes you inside Leicester City from the perspective of those who were there – behind the scenes at the long-running soap opera packed with comedy and tragedy, triumph and disaster, financial ruin and amazing title wins.

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The FOX – The Leicester City fanzine 209 – in the shops now

The 209th edition of The FOX – is now in the shops…

It features: An exclusive interview with former City striker Martyn Waghorn; Fully Programmed from the Mark McGhee/Spider Kalac era; Fox Diary; #lcfc on Twitter; the History of Leicester City in 100 Objects; the Foxes Trust on sit down areas; Favourite Shirts – your nostalgic nylon; Rewind – Martin O’Neill and Steve Claridge on the Wembley turf; Foxed in the Head – on clapper infestations, Frank Worthington and a soaking at Saints; We assess Claude Puel’s first year in charge; Details on our new interviews compilation book – ‘Can’t Buy That Feeling’; John Hutchinson on George Best’s first Filbert Street appearance; your letters and Bentley’s Roof, and FiftySomething goes to Bournemouth…

The most fun you can have for £2.50…

Martyn Waghorn Interview extract…

FOX: That night will always be remembered for Kermorgant’s failed chip, and your penalty miss tends to be forgotten.

MW: Yann’s miss put a lot more pressure on me. For a moment everyone was standing around going ‘What… what… what just happened?’
I thought I’d struck it well, but looking back it was a good height for the keeper, David Marshall, and he guessed right and made a good save. The season we’d had I think we deserved more and I was bitterly disappointed that it ended like that. None of the other three teams in the play-offs were better than us, so it was a chance missed. But that’s football for you.

FOX: Can you remember who said what to you after that?

MW: I had a lot of support, even from some of the Cardiff boys. And in the changing room I was surrounded by good lads, like fellow-Geordie Stevie Howard. And I was big mates with Kingy, Michael Morrison, Lloyd Dyer. Chris Powell was very good to me. I was gutted and heartbroken, it was my first opportunity in football to do something really important.
I learnt from it and it make me want to take penalties even more. I’ve taken them ever since and I get a real adrenaline rush from the pressure. And Leicester didn’t go on to do too badly, it wasn’t really a defining moment for them as it turned out.

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Sigurdsson strike sinks ten man Leicester

Leicester City 1:2 Everton

A finely balanced game was tipped Everton’s way by the dismissal of Wes Morgan in the 63rd minute at the KPS on Saturday…

Claude Puel named an unchanged line-up, displayed on the new large screens behind each goal, but City got off to a slow start.
A wayward ball from Ndidi saw Everton on the attack, but the threat was snuffed out.
However, the Toffees went ahead in the 7th minute after some woeful defending.
Bernard sent a cross over from the left that was cleared, but recycled back to him. He cut into the area and waltzed round Ricardo and Amartey as though they weren’t there before delivering a ball across the face of goal. Schmeichel got his fingertips to it, but only diverted it to Richarlison at the far post who calmly slotted home from six yards.
Soon after this another ball across City goalmouth saw a three-way collision with Sigurdsson sandwiched between Morgan and Schmeichel, but Amartey cleared as penalty claims were waved away.
City pushed forward in search of an equaliser: Maddison had a shot blocked and then Chilwell beat his man down the left before delivering a cross to the near post, but Vardy didn’t get enough contact on his header which went wide of the far post.
Schmeichel had to make saves from Walcott and Sigurdsson, before a 35th minute opportunity was wasted by City. Vardy ran onto a long ball forward, and outpaced Keane despite a tug on his arm. It is the sort of chance he usually takes, but this one was jabbed wide of the right hand post.
However, City were level five minutes before the break. After Amartey cleared from an Everton corner, a good challenge from Mendy and a precise ball from Iheanacho sent Ricardo charging down the left. He cut into the area, swerved twice to leave Kenny floundering and fired home via Pickford’s glove. On his birthday as well.
Three minutes later Ricardo delivered a good cross from the right, but Vardy’s header didn’t test Pickford. The England keeper’s drop-kick sent Richarlison in down the left, but having outpaced Morgan he was then wrestled to the ground by the City captain for an obvious yellow card.

Six minutes into the second half a clumsy challenge by Morgan dumped Richarlison onto the pitch surround near the technical area. Referee Andre Marriner opted not to show him another yellow, but he was clearly on his last warning.
City then went close to taking the lead when Chilwell intercepted a ball out of Everton’s defence and then skipped round three defenders before sending a shot narrowly wide of the left hand post.
In the 63rd minute the inevitable happened as Morgan tackled Richarlison from behind on the halfway line. Although he got some ball he also caught the Brazilian’s heel, who made the most of it. Marriner ran out of patience and Morgan was dismissed for the second time in three games.
Claude Puel brought Albrighton on for Iheanacho, leaving Vardy on his own up front and moved Amartey to centre-half.
If City had looked the more likely winners with eleven men, Everton were now running the game. Following a corner Schmeichel made two good saves in quick succession from Digne and Davies.
But he could do nothing about Everton’s winner in the 77th minute. A smart turn from Sigurdsson saw him evade Maddison, and he strode into space before launching a superb dipping 25-yarder into the top left hand corner.
Puel brought on Ghezzal for Ricardo, and then Okazaki for Maddison, which prompted some booing, but Everton were managing the game well and City were struggling to create anything.
An injury-time corner, which saw Schmeichel taking up a position at the far post, saw City’s last opportunity for a point. Amartey rose highest in a crowded box but sent his header wide and the game was up.
It was a self-inflicted defeat to a large extent, with many fans thinking Morgan should have been subbed after his let-off, just as Davies was for Everton.
Claude Puel didn’t agree: “This yellow card changed the scenario of the game because we were dominating against this team. Perhaps we started to drop deep afterwards and we conceded this fantastic goal. It was tough for us and for my players. I think Wes has a lot of experience to manage the yellow card. If we withdraw a player all the time because he has a yellow card to maintain the level and do our best. Of course we can have this feeling.”

Leicester: Schmeichel, Amartey, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Mendy, Ndidi, Ricardo (Okazaki 86), Iheanacho (Albrighton 67), Maddison (Ghezzal 80), Vardy.
Substitutes: Evans, Ward, Iborra, Fuchs.
Everton: Pickford, Kenny, Keane, Zouma, Digne, Davies (Tosun 71), Gueye, Walcott, (Calvert-Lewin 90), Sigurdsson, Bernard (Schneiderlin 90), Richarlison.
Substitutes: Holgate, Baines, Stekelenburg, Lookman.

Referee: Andre Marriner. Attendance: 32,007.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –  

Can’t Buy That Feeling – Inside Leicester City – The Best of The Fox Interviews

We have finally got round to compiling all our interviews into one book and it is available now from Conker Editions Ltd HERE
and Amazon HERE

Also available from the Leicester City Fanstore and Waterstones in Leicester.

The FOX has been interviewing Leicester City players, managers, famous fans and board members for almost three decades, building up a body of work that takes you right into the very fabric of the club, with memories spanning the last 60 years.

As a City fan, you’ve come to know hundreds of players through their performance on the pitch, through potted career biographies and football sticker images. But what about the real characters behind the blue shirt and the back-page reports?

Can’t Buy That Feeling takes you inside Leicester City from the perspective of those who were there – behind the scenes at the long-running soap opera packed with comedy and tragedy, triumph and disaster, financial ruin and amazing title wins.

Comfortable Leicester win adds to Newcastle woes

Newcastle United 0:2 Leicester City

Goals from Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire saw City claim three points against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday…

Claude Puel made two changes from his last Premier League line-up, with Morgan returning from suspension for Evans, and Ricardo replacing Ghezzal on the right wing.
City soon settled into their passing game and had a couple of early half-chances: Iheanacho sending a long-range shot straight at Dubravka and Ndidi nodding a Maddison corner over the bar.
In the 10th minute Ricardo cut in from the right and fired a shot towards the bottom right hand corner, forcing a good save from Dubraka.
Despite dominating possession City did get caught out a couple of times. Joselu broke down the left channel and was shaping to shoot when Maguire slid in with a fine tackle.
Then Atsu delivered a cross from the left and Diamé’s late run saw him unmarked for a header, but he missed the target.
City then regained the initiative and forced a series of corners, all well whipped into the danger area by Maddison. As the pressure mounted City took the lead on the half hour.
A Maddison corner from the left was half cleared and Maguire hooked in a shot from 8 yards, but it was blocked by Yedlin with both arms above his head. There were few complaints as referee Simon Hooper pointed to the spot and Vardy fired it home giving Dubraka no chance even though he guessed right.
These are troubled times at St James’ Park and owner Mike Ashley’s first appearance at the stadium this season didn’t help the atmosphere, with the fans making it clear what they thought of him.
Newcastle first on target-effort arrived in the 36th minute, when Shelvey tried an ambitious 60 yarder. Schmeichel had to back-pedal a little but it didn’t ruffle his feathers unduly.
City held their lead at the break after a very satisfactory half.

Five minutes into the second half the home fans roared for a penalty of their own, when Maguire and Pérez tangled in the area, but Pérez had a handful of the City defender’s shirt and Hooper rightly waved play on.
City were putting some great moves together and Iheanacho almost sent Vardy through, but Dubravka raced off his line to clear.
Maguire then had two bites of the cherry as he lined up a volley to a dropping ball, and missed it. He had time to have another go as the ball bounced up, but punted it well over.
There were then hopes of a Maddison special after he was brought down on the edge of the area, but he sent his free-kick straight into the wall.
City went further ahead in the 73rd minute. Maddison delivered a corner from the right, and Maguire timed a late run, rising above the Newcastle defence to plant a firm header past Dubravka from six yards.
Puel withdrew Vardy, who’d earlier taken a solid whack on the shin from Shelvey, for Albrighton, and then brought Iborra on for Maddison to protect the lead.
Newcastle looked beaten long before the end and offered little by way of a comeback in the latter stages. It was a comfortable three points from a highly professional performance, that saw City up to 7th place
Claude Puel summed up: “We continued to play on the floor with quality. It is a good reward for my players and I would like to say congratulations to them. We played with fantastic discipline, with good play, structure and all the things to make a good result in a difficult away game.”

Newcastle: Dubravka, Yedlin (Manquillo 80), Lascelles, Clark, Kenedy, Ritchie (Murphy 65), Diamé, Shelvey, Atsu, Pérez (Muto 69), Joselu.
Substitutes: Schär, Hayden, Darlow, Longstaff.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Amartey, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Mendy, Ndidi, Ricardo, Iheanacho, Maddison (Iborra 85), Vardy (Albrighton 74)
Substitutes: Evans, Ward, Okazaki, Fuchs, Ghezzal.

Referee: Simon Hooper. Attendance: 51,523.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –  

Can’t Buy That Feeling – Inside Leicester City – The Best of The Fox Interviews

We have finally got round to compiling all our interviews into one book and it is available now from Conker Editions Ltd HERE
and Amazon HERE

Also available from the Leicester City Fanstore and Waterstones in Leicester.

The FOX has been interviewing Leicester City players, managers, famous fans and board members for almost three decades, building up a body of work that takes you right into the very fabric of the club, with memories spanning the last 60 years.

As a City fan, you’ve come to know hundreds of players through their performance on the pitch, through potted career biographies and football sticker images. But what about the real characters behind the blue shirt and the back-page reports?

Can’t Buy That Feeling takes you inside Leicester City from the perspective of those who were there – behind the scenes at the long-running soap opera packed with comedy and tragedy, triumph and disaster, financial ruin and amazing title wins.

Ward keeps Wolves from the door as Leicester progress in the Carabao Cup

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0:0 Leicester City (1:3 on penalties)

Danny Ward was City’s hero in the Carabao Cup at Molineux on Tuesday night, saving three penalties in the shoot out after a 0-0 draw…

Claude Puel made eight changes to his side for this Carabao Cup 3rd round tie, while Nuno Espírito Santo made nine changes for Wolves.
City started strongly and Iborra had two chances by the 6th minute, a long range effort going narrowly wide and then a far post header from a Ghezzal free-kick rising over the bar.
City continued to pass around Wolves and keep them in their own half and Silva had a fierce shot blocked by a busy Wolves defence.
Vardy then inflamed the home crowd with what looked like a judo throw on the considerably larger Hause as they contested a ball on the bye-line.
Wolves came more into the game after 20 minutes and some poor positioning from Ricardo allowed Vinagre in down the left, but his shot was tipped over the bar by Ward.
Iborra was having a fine game and sent a inch perfect pass to Vardy from the halfway line, but the striker fluffed his shot, to the delight of the Wolves fans behind the goal.
City went close in the 36th minute when a good passing moved ended with an Albrighton cross. It found Ghezzal at the far post but Coady cleared his effort off the line.
Just before the break Albrighton forced a good save from Ruddy with a well-struck shot from 20 yards, but City had nothing to show for their dominance at the break.

Early in the second half Ricardo intercepted a pass as Wolves attempted a break and fired in a 20-yarder that curled just wide of the right hand post.
At the other end Ricardo did well to race back and put in a challenge on Cavaleiro that was just enough to force his shot inches wide of the left hand post.
Claude Puel made a double change on the  hour, Gray and Iheanacho on for Okazaki and Vardy, who was serenaded off the field by the home crowd, much to his amusement.
In the 65th minute a Ghezzal cross from the left found Albrighton six yards out, but Ruddy showed brilliant reactions to get a glove to his shot.
Wolves then hit City on the break and there were four strikers in on Morgan and Evans, but Traoré chose the wrong pass and Ward parried Gibbs-White’s shot away.
The game tightened up in the closing stages, with Wolves perhaps fancying their chances in a shoot-out. Silva was replaced by Choudhury but City could only muster off-target shots from Iborra and Fuchs.
Deep into time-added-on Gray put in a challenge on Bennett but appeared to get his studs caught in the turf, bending his ankle alarmingly. He was strapped up, and given an oxygen mask before being stretchered away.
The final whistle blew soon after this and a concerned City side had to get their heads right for a penalty shoot-out.
It didn’t get off to a good start with Fuchs sending his kick against the bar, but then Saiss sent in a tame effort that Ward saved almost nonchalantly to his right.
Ghezzal slotted his into the top right hand corner,  before Ward guessed right again to deny Jota.
A poor effort from Choudhury was easily saved by Ruddy, allowing Ashley-Seal to make it 1-1 with an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
Ruddy got a hand to Iborra’s penalty but there was just enough on it, and then Ward saved brilliantly from Traoré diverting the ball onto the post.
Iheanacho strode up confidently to send Ruddy the wrong way, and City into the fourth round.

Claude Puel praised the match-winning Ward: “He is a fantastic keeper and it was a good opportunity for him to show his quality so I am happy for him. It was a tough game for the team and for him also because he didn’t have a lot to do in the game so he had to keep his concentration and his condition until the penalties, and he was very successful.”
There were positive noises being made about Gray’s injury too, so it was a very good night for City.
Wolves: Ruddy, Dendoncker, Coady, Hause, Castro Otto (Bennett 75), Saïss, Gibbs-White, Vinagre, Traoré, Bonatini (Ashley-Seal 83), Cavaleiro (Jota 57).
Substitutes: Giles, Watt, Pereira Goncalves, Norris.
Leicester: Ward, Ricardo, Morgan, Evans, Fuchs, Albrighton, Iborra, Adrien Silva (Choudhury 84), Ghezzal, Vardy (Iheanacho 61), Okazaki (Gray 61).
Substitutes: Söyüncü, Jakupovic, Amartey, Diabaté.

Referee: Paul Tierney. Attendance: 21,562.

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The FOX Summer Special 2018 is out now. 

The subscribe to The FOX for the 2018-19 season click on the links below, these will take you to the Paypal site where you can use your Paypal balance, or debit card.

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Foxes fight back against Terriers

Leicester City 3:1 Huddersfield Town

City came back from a goal down to beat Huddersfield 3-1 at the KPS on Saturday…

Claude Puel made three changes to the side that lost at Bournemouth, with Evans in for the suspended Morgan, Amartey replacing Ricardo and Iheanacho in for Gray.
But City got off to a slow start and soon found themselves behind to a Huddersfield side with only two points to their name. A Billing long throw from the right was nodded on by Depoitre and the ball dropped nicely for Jorgensen to stab it home from six yards.

This added to the gloom of drizzly day for a while, but City were level by the 19th minute. Town over-committed for a corner and City swiftly broke upfield. Maddison threaded a perfect ball through to Vardy who set up Iheanacho for a measured shot just inside the right hand post, giving Lössl no chance.
City ran proceedings after the equaliser and they should have gone further ahead in the 24th minute. After being fouled 25 yards out, Maddison opted for a delicate chip over the wall but the onrushing Vardy, who had peeled away from the wall, dragged his shot well wide of the left hand post.
In the 31st minute the lively front three combined again Maddison feeding Iheanacho who sent Vardy in on goal but his shot was straight at Lössl.
There was a growing sense of frustration with referee David Coote, who had booked Ndidi early in the game seemed reluctant to brandish the yellow card again when Durm grabbed hold of Maguire’s shirt like an avid souvenir hunter.
The much-fouled Maddison then picked himself up to deliver another free-kick, which Maguire got a head to, but didn’t test Lössl.
Just before the break Coote rediscovered his yellow card and waved it at Ghezzal, who was replaced by Gray for the second half.

City’s first chance after the break came from another Maddison free-kick, this time he sent a low shot round the wall into the side-netting.
The next came when Chilwell intercepted a pass and burst down the left, sending Vardy clear. His fierce shot looked like an attempt to put it through the keepers’ legs at the near post, but the gate was shut.
A Chilwell cross then found Iheanacho, but his first time effort went narrowly wide.
For all City’s dominance, Town should have regained their lead in the 62nd minute. Depoitre was sent clear on goal, but he took a little too long to line up his shot and Maguire nipped in at the last second to rob him.
Instead, it was City who went ahead in the 66th minute. As the ball was cleared from a corner Mendy was fouled 25 yards out. Maddison stepped up to give us another variation from his book of free-kicks. This time he somehow managed to get the ball over the wall and under the bar at pace, for a magnificent goal.

In the 75th minute City put the game beyond Huddersfield with a third goal.
With Town now chasing an equaliser, they were hit on the break, and Iheanacho played a well-weighted ball down the right that sent Vardy away. He outpaced Jorgensen into the area and then chipped the ball over Lössl as he rushed out to meet him.
Iheanacho was then given a warm reception as he was replaced by Albrighton.

Maddison was the next goalscorer to be replaced, by Okazaki in the 83rd minute, and he was given a standing ovation for his match-winning performance.
In time-added-on Okazaki fired a low 25-yarder but Lössl managed to tip it round the post.
Anything other than a win would have increased the pressure on Claude Puel, but City ended the day in 8th place in the Premier League.
The City boss commented:  “I was not happy at the beginning of the game, to concede another first goal against Huddersfield. We didn’t panic and came back into the game. The first half wasn’t good enough, in the second half we made better use of the space, showed greater desire and the ability to score with fantastic finishing.”

Leicester: Schmeichel, Amartey, Evans, Maguire, Chilwell, Ndidi, Mendy, Ghezzal (Gray 45), Iheanacho (Albrighton 77), Maddison (Okazaki 85), Vardy.
Substitutes: Ward, Ricardo, Adrien Silva, Fuchs.
Huddersfield: Lössl, Durm, Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo (Pritchard 72), Löwe, Kachunga (Diakhaby 57), Mooy, Billing, van La Parra, Depoitre.
Substitutes: Hogg, Hamer, Mbenza, Mounie, Hadergjonaj.

Referee: David Coote. Attendance: 31,676.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –  

The FOX Summer Special 2018 is out now. 

The subscribe to The FOX for the 2018-19 season click on the links below, these will take you to the Paypal site where you can use your Paypal balance, or debit card.

FOX Subs 2018-19 – UK

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Leicester’s defensive frailties exposed by Bournemouth

AFC Bournemouth 4:2 Leicester City

City’s defensive set-up was unzipped by Bournemouth who won 4-2 at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday…

Claude Puel made one change for this trip to a sun-drenched south coast, with Vardy returning from suspension and Albrighton making way.
Vardy looked eager to be back in the action and Maddison set him up for a 4th minute chance which he sent wide. Four minutes later a fine through-ball from Ghezzal sent Vardy clear on goal but Begovic came swiftly off his line to block. Vardy’s penalty appeals, he’d poked the ball past the keeper before being brought down, did not move Craig Pawson.
Maguire then got an early yellow card for bringing Wilson down after giving the ball away.
There were penalty appeals at the other end, when Ricardo clipped Fraser as he made his way into the area, but he went down a little too easily and a goal-kick was awarded.
But the Cherries didn’t have long to wait for a goal. In the 19th minute they moved swiftly upfield on the break and with Ricardo caught out of position Fraser was given plenty of room to move to the edge of the area before clipping a fine finish just inside the right hand post.
City had a chance to strike back in the 25th minute when Maddison was brought down on the edge of the area, but his free-kick went straight into the wall.
Three minutes later City were lucky to have 11 men on the field when Maguire crashed into King in front of the dug-outs. It looked an obvious second yellow, as the home bench were demanding, but Pawson let the England defender off the hook.
City’s best chance of the half came in the 34th minute. A smart turn from Maddison gave him space to set up Vardy in the area. His fierce shot was well saved by Begovic and the ball rebounded to Maddison whose shot hit the keeper’s elbow, and bounced up onto the bar. It had looked for a moment like 1-1, but was soon 2-0.
Another fast break saw Wilson feed a ball to Fraser and Maguire could not keep pace with him as he slotted the ball past Schmeichel.
Three minutes later it was game over when the ball jumped up and hit Ricardo on the arm, Pawson not hesitating to point the spot. King sent Schmeichel the wrong way with his penalty to increase City’s misery.
In time-added-on, the centre-halves’ afternoon of struggle was underlined when Morgan was booked for wrestling with King.

Bournemouth applied some early second half pressure, with Ricardo presenting King with a shooting opportunity, but Maguire blocked.
Maddison was trying to make things happen at the other end, but Ndidi couldn’t get a head to his free-kick, and then his weak shot went straight at Begovic.
Something had to change and Puel brought on Iheanacho and Albrighton for Gray and Ghezzal on the hour.
There was an improvement with an attacking spell from City, but the best chance, a Maguire header, was tipped round the post by Begovic.
City were then reduced to ten men, and it looked very harsh. Morgan won a 50-50 contest with Smith but Pawson judged it to be dangerous and produced a second yellow.
Bournemouth added a fourth in the 81st minute when Fraser eased his way past Ricardo down the left and cut the ball back for Smith, who side-footed it home from 12 yards.
With the game lost, City then scored in the 88th and 89th minutes to reduce the sting of the scoreline a little.
Ricardo was bundled over in the box and Maddison sent Begovic the wrong way from 12 yards. The fairly ironic celebrations in the away section had hardly died down when Iheanacho crossed from the right and Albrighton timed his run to send a glancing header past Begovic.
In the dying seconds Chilwell sent a shot narrowly past the post but any thoughts of ‘what if?’ were snuffed out by the final whistle.
This late entertainment couldn’t disguise a poor outing for City, or the fact that Puel’s defensive system needs a fundamental re-think, with a wing-back mentality not working with a four-man back line.

Bournemouth: Begovic, A Smith, S Cook, Aké, Rico, Brooks (Francis 68), Lerma (L Cook 78), Gosling, Fraser, King (Mousset 85), Wilson.
Substitutes: Boruc, Surman, Ibe, Defoe.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Ricardo, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Ndidi, Mendy, Ghezzal (Albrighton 61), Maddison, Gray (Iheanacho 61), Vardy (Evans 84).
Substitutes: Ward, Amartey, Iborra, Fuchs.

Referee: Craig Pawson. Attendance: 10,543.

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